International Day of Anti-Epidemic Preparedness (27/12)

Despite all the efforts made by the world community in the fight against the global problems of our time, the reality is that the number of these problems is not decreasing, but rather, on the contrary, is growing. Thus, the pandemic of the coronavirus disease known as COVID-19 has become a new threat to the world.

Considering the full range of threats brought by the pandemic to the daily lives of ordinary citizens, as well as the dire consequences, both for the global economy and for the economic development of individual states and regions, at the 36th plenary meeting of the UN General Assembly, held on December 7, 2020, a Resolution was adopted (A/RES/75/27) establishing a new commemorative date — of the International Day of Epidemic Preparedness.

The new disease, which led to the need for the World Health Organization to declare a pandemic, turned out to be the real global problem of our time, the severity and transient course and spread of which, many other global problems, receded into the background.

The world community was not ready for such a rapid spread of the epidemic, as well as for the serious consequences that it brought with it: severe disease with a high proportion of deaths, lack of a truly functioning anti-epidemic control system, lack of a number of medicines and medical equipment, low level of consciousness of citizens in the field of compliance with anti-epidemic measures, lack of a clear action plan of government bodies to prevent the spread of the disease, overload of health authorities and institutions, etc.

A separate pressing issue was the lack of readiness of some states to jointly search for a vaccine and take a number of homogeneous and simultaneous anti-epidemic measures due to political reasons.

But the role of several governments must also be recognized, as well as the indispensable contributions of relevant stakeholders in addressing global health challenges, especially women, who make up the majority of the world's health workers.

Taking into account the current conditions, and also taking into account the need to resolve issues of anti-epidemic preparedness exclusively through the joint efforts of the world community, the UN General Assembly calls on all countries of the world to celebrate the International Day of Anti-Epidemic Preparedness on December 27.

All activities dedicated to this date should be aimed at educating the population on the prevention of epidemic diseases, explaining to people the importance and necessity of the vaccination campaign, developing joint interstate measures to combat the pandemic and steps to prevent the spread of possible similar diseases.



Infographics — poster «December 27 — International Day of Anti-Epidemic Preparedness»

2016